What are the advantages and disadvantages of using icons in UI?

Icons are an object, idea, or action’s visual representation. Icons must convey meaning and brand image in a graphical user interface (GUI) and be visually appealing. The figure below shows different types of icons on a phone’s home screen.

Advantages of icons

Icons help to improve user experience if used in the right manner.

• Icons are fast to recognize, especially standard icons such as those of email, home, etc.

• Icons do not need translation for international users if designed carefully by keeping in mind any cultural differences, such as the home icon.

• They are good targets, as they are designed large enough to be touched by a finger in finger-operated user interfaces, and they can also be clicked using a mouse cursor.

• Despite being large in size, icons compactly convey information and save space by allowing toolbars and other icons to be displayed on the interface.

• Icons add to the visual appeal of an interface.

Disadvantages of icons

There are certain downsides to icons, as discussed below:

• Different icons used for the same purpose on different sites create confusion.

• Icons without text labels create confusion.

• Icons with common multiple meanings create confusion, such as the heart icon, which is used for both liking items and adding to a list.

• Unclear icons create confusion for users.

Conclusion

Icons are an essential part of an interface and help improve user experience. However, a poorly designed icon confuses the users and does more harm than good. The first priority should be to ensure that icons convey meaning and ensure that they are aesthetically pleasing.